Swimming instruction pool



Q SIUUJUM EENTER March 19,1968 w. J. BROOKS swmuiue mswnucnori POOL Filed Sept. 22, 1964 USA FIG.3 32

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INVENTOR.

BY Mm, WWW

ATTORNEYS WILLIAM J. BROOKS United States Patent Ohfice 3,373,450 Patented Mar. 19, 1968 3,373,450 SWIMMENG INSTRUCTION POOL William ll. Brooks, 275 Brighton St, Belmont, Mass. @2178 Filed Sept. 22, 1964, Ser. No. 398,279 3 Claims. (Cl. 4-172) This invention relates to a tank for a swimming pool especially designed for use in getting young children accustomed to being submerged in water as the first step toward learning to swim. It is an object of the invention to introduce such chli-dren (e.g., 18 months to 4 years of age) gradually into water, shallow at first but of increased depth later, so that in case they fall into deep water, they will be less apt to become flustered or panic-stricken. In practicing this method an above-ground, plastic pool is employed with devices to attract the childs interest and encourage eventual submersion in the water.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description thereof, and to the drawing, of which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a tank embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view, on a larger scale, of the bottom of the tank shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURES 3 and 4 are fragmentary elevations, on a larger scale, of the outside of the side wall of the tank; and

FIGURE 5 is a plan development of a portion of the inside surface of the side wall of the tank.

The tank shown on the drawing is preferably cylindrical in shape and of convenient size for small children, e.g., about three feet in height and ten to fifteen feet in diameter or less. Any suitable material can be used for the tank such as steel, concrete or other rigid material. A preferred material is flexible sheet plastic which can be rolled up for convenient storage when out of season. Such tanks are on the market. They consist of a bottom part 12 which is usually circular and a side wall 14 which is vertical when the tank is in use.

According to the invention, radial lines divide the bottom 12 into three sectors 16, 18, which are preferably of uniform size and are distinguished by the letters A, B and C. Legends 22, 24, 26 are provided in the respective sectors A, B and C to indicate the corresponding activities associated with the several sectors.

On the inside surface of the wall 14 are horizontal lines 28, 30, 32 above the respective sectors to indicate the water levels desired for use with the respective sectors. These lines may be straight or wavy as shown.

In the side wall 14 over the B sector is a window 34 which is below the level of the water line 30. On the outside surface of the wall a television set 36 is depicted in such a way that the wnidow 34 forms the screen of the TV. Above the TV set is the name of a popular program in which underwater scenes predominate.

In the C sector on the bottom is depicted a portion of a piano keyboard 38.

In using the tank for the instruction of very small children, it is first filled with water up to the lowest waterline 28, the water then having a depth of a foot or less. The child is encouraged to splash around in the water and to observe the beads or drops of water which form on the tips of the fingers when wet hands are raised above the water.

The next stage of instruction is given in the B sector, the water level having been raised to the line 30 which is just above the top of the window 34. The water is now deep enough for easy immersion and the child is encouraged to play the part of a TV actor at the window 34 which has been seen from the outside as a TV screen.

The final stage of instruction is with the tank filled to the uppermost line 32. In order to play the piano on the bottom of the tank, it is necessary for the child to submerge below the surface of the water. At this time the child will be in the correct position to be taught a paddle stroke, his first real swim.

I claim:

1. An instructional pool for training children to swim having a bottom and adjoining side wall extending upwardly therefrom which define a water retaining receptacle of sufiicient depth to permit sequential filling with water between a selected first level of shallow depth where the bottom serves as a support to prevent submergance of a child while becoming acclimated to the surrounding water medium and a raised second level of greater depth which will permit voluntary immersion of the child in said surrounding water medium, the improvement comprising: visual attracting means including a window formed in said side wall which extends below said second level to visually allure the child into voluntarily assuming a suspended position in said surrounding water medium.

2. An instructional pool as set forth in claim 1 having radial marks on the bottom dividing it into three sectors, each sector corresponding to a different depth level relative to the sequential filling with water therein.

3. An instructional pool as set forth in claim 1 having a representation of a series of piano keys on one of the sectors whereby the child is encouraged to submerge below the surface of the water as a result of trying to play the piano keys and simultaneously look through said window.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,731,554 10/1929 Wheeler 35-292 2,825,224 3/1958 Lindenauer et a1. 35-292 2,875,528 3/1959 Garate 35-292 2,956,541 10/1960 Rall 35-292 3,044,186 7/1962 Berger 35-292 3,140,550 7/1964 Wayfield 35-292 2,989,757 6/1961 Friedlander et al. 4-172 3,010,116 11/1961 Cowley 4-146 LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner. H. K. ARTIS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN INSTRUCTIONAL POOL FOR TRAINING CHILDREN TO SWIM HAVING A BOTTOM AND ADJOINING SIDE WALL EXTENDING UPWARDLY THEREFROM WHICH DEFINE A WATER RETAINING RECEPTACLE OF SUFFICIENT DEPTH TO PERMIT SEQUENTIAL FILLING WITH WATER BETWEEN A SELECTED FIRST LEVEL OF SHALLOW DEPTH WHERE THE BOTTOM SERVES AS A SUPPORT TO PREVENT SUBMERGANCE OF A CHILD WHILE BECOMING ACCLIMATED TO THE SURROUNDING WATER MEDIUM AND A RAISED SECOND LEVEL OF GREATER DEPTH WHICH WILL PERMIT VOLUNTARY IMMERSION OF THE CHILD IN SAID SURROUNDING WATER MEDIUM, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING: VISUAL ATTRACTING MEANS INCLUDING A WINDOW FORMED IN SAID SIDE WALL WHICH EXTENDS BELOW SAID SECOND LEVEL TO VISUALLY ALLURE THE CHILD INTO VOLUNTARILY ASSUMING A SUSPENDED POSITION IN SAID SURROUNDING WATER MEDIUM. 